JUST BEAR WITH ME…

…maintains that each of us has powerful and interesting stories to tell.

I am Matt Berger, PhD, and this is where I tell stories with data, often using tales from my own life to provide context. My story-telling style – call it “annotated meandering” – inspired this site’s name. Just bear with me…I get to the point fairly quickly.

This is also where I promote my books, starting with Interrogating Memory: Film Noir Spurs a Deep Dive Into My Family History…and My Own.

I also promote other brilliant storytellers, because creators need to support each other.

The cover photograph shows the Vale Rio Diner, which used to sit at the intersection of Routes 23 and 113 in Phoenixville, PA. It appears prominently here.

THE BLOG

Since my YouTube channel is my only social media outlet, when I have something brief to say, I will put it here. Older entries may be found here.

November 8, 2026: As I continue to process the results of the 2026 elections, I have some observations:

1. Democrats are on track to
   • Have the most members of the United States House of Representatives (“House”) since they had 267 following the 1990 elections.
   • Have the most members of the United States Senate (“Senate”) since they had 59 (including two Independents who caucused with them) after the 2008 elections
   • Hold the most governor’s mansions since they held 30 after the 1992 elections.
2. Democrats are on track to have a majority of delegations to the United States House of Representatives from 26 states, meaning that if the 2028 presidential election were decided by the House (because no ticket earned at least 270 electoral votes), the Democratic ticket would win.
3. While votes are still being counted, my conclusion that polling was underestimating Democratic strength was correct. I will soon explore this in greater detail, but Democrats are currently overperforming polls of the generic ballot by 5.4 percentage points (“points”), Senate by 3.3 points (5.8 if you ignore direction of miss) and governor’s mansions by 2.9 points (6.0).
4. The Democratic “bench” just improved dramatically. Here are the 19 current and (possibly) soon-to-be Democratic Senators and governors who would be 55 or younger on Election Day 2028. One could also add former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (44 years old) and the 52-year-old Castro brothers, Texas House Member Joaquin and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian.
   • (if he wins) Alaska Governor-elect Jonathan Kriess-Tomkins (37)
   • Texas Senator-elect James Talarico (37)
   • Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff (39)
   • Wisconsin Governor-elect David Crowley (40)
   • Michigan Senator-elect Abdul el-Sayed (42)
   • (if he wins) Mississippi Senator-elect Scott Colom (43)
   • New Jersey Senator Andy Kim (44)
   • New Hampshire Senator-elect Chris Pappas (46)
   • Iowa Senator-elect Josh Turek (46)
   • South Carolina Senator-elect Annie Andrews (46)
   • Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear (46)
   • Minnesota Senator-elect Peggy Flanagan (47)
   • Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger (47)
   • Maryland Governor Wes Moore (48)
   • Michigan Governor-elect Jocelyn Benson (49)
   • Maine Governor-elect Hannah Pingree (50)
   • Texas Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa (52)
   • (if she wins) Alaska Senator-elect Mary Peltola (53)
   • Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (53)

November 6, 2026: I moved my pre-2026-election analyses here.

WHAT ELSE WILL YOU FIND HERE?

The Noir of Who: Classic Film Noir’s Imprint on the Resurrected Doctor Who

Disease Testing Worksheet

WHAT DO I ASK FROM READERS?

Please continue to bear with me, while inviting others to do the same. I am grateful to everyone who clicks “Like” and comments in a respectful way. Let us disagree without being disagreeable.

And if you enjoy what you read here, please consider making a donation. Simply select a “quantity” of $1 payments equal to the amount you wish to donate. For example, to make a $5 donation to Just Bear With Me, you would select “5” under “Quantity.” I adopted this Rube Goldberg method because Stripe stopped processing payments to Just Bear With Me on October 23, 2024 for…reasons.

Thank you again to everyone who visits this website! I value every single view.

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